Sponsored by
Lessons learned from RAF Regiment deaths
A SHORTAGE of metal detectors played no part in the deaths of two servicemen killed by an anti-tank mine in Afghanistan, a coroner has ruled.
A SHORTAGE of metal detectors played no part in the deaths of two servicemen killed by an anti-tank mine in Afghanistan, a coroner has ruled.Gary Thompson, 51, and Graham Livingstone, 23, both Senior Aircraftmen (SACs) in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment, died in a roadside explosion on April 13 last year, while returning to Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan.
The two men were part of a 163-strong force deployed from RAF Wittering to Afghanistan in February 2008.
Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner David Masters recorded verdicts of unlawful killing on both men on Wednesday, saying they were killed by an "unknown insurgent".
But he said because the anti-tank mine was plastic, a metal detector would not have saved the pair. Their patrol had only one Ebex metal detector between six vehicles, because one was broken and had not been replaced. This meant a vulnerable river crossing was not exhaustively scanned for improvised explosive devices.
The coroner said: "The IED would have been unlikely to be detected by the use of the Ebex."
He noted that a full complement of more modern hand-held Vallon metal detectors are now in use as standard by troops and, since the deaths, dangerous crossings are no longer made without a metal detector in use.
SAC Thompson, from Sherwood near Nottingham, was the oldest serviceman to die in the Afghanistan conflict.
Two other men were injured in the explosion which killed him and SAC Livingstone, from Glasgow.
After the hearing, SAC Thompson's widow, Jacqui, said: "We now understand fully the events that took our Gary away from us. I was always full of admiration and respect for my husband. In the last few days I have learned about the soldier Gary."
She added that she was impressed by the way the men did their duty "on limited resources".
SAC Thompson leaves behind five daughters - Laurie, Aimee, Jordan, Jade and Kelly - who he said inspired him to fight the Taliban.
Air Commodore Steven Abbott paid tribute to the "professionalism and commitment" of the two men.
He added: "The coroner's verdict recognises and reinforces the actions that have already been implemented as a result of the Service Board of Enquiry.
"The RAF Regiment now has the improved Vallon hand-held mine detector for operations in Afghanistan, training to counter the use of IEDs has been improved and the regiment has access to a range of vehicles in which to conduct operations, all of which offer enhanced blast protection."
Related:
Tributes to SAC Graham Livingston and SAC Gary Thompson, 15 April 2008.
Our man in Afghanistan: ET reporter David Old in Helmand Province with The Royal Anglians for a week, October 2007.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Peterborough
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.